Cork pupils to represent nation at US robotics event

SIX Glanmire Community College students are preparing to jet off to Dallas next month where they will represent Ireland in the VRC VEX Robotics World Championships 2022.

GCC, together with Kinsale Community School, qualified in February as Ireland’s representatives for what is the world’s biggest robotics competition.

The event takes place from May 3 to 12 with student-led teams across a number of age groups up to university level, showcasing their game strategy, design, and teamwork skills in the hope of being crowned champions.

The GCC team, led by their captain, Toby Tangney, will be spending five days in Dallas, three of which will be spent pitting their engineering and programming skills against high school teams from around the world, as their robots battle on the “Tipping Point” game field.

A school spokesperson said that while the team’s collective dedication and ambition won them their right to compete, it is the support and generosity of the team’s various sponsors that is making the dream a reality.

“Enormous thanks to Glanmire and Districts Credit Union, supporters of the team for a number of years, to Stryker Model Farm Road and Cognex Ireland who have enthusiastically invested in the promotion of STEM projects in education, to the GCC Parents Council, Cork ETB and the school, as well as many individual small businesses who gave over the years and asked nothing in return,” the spokesperson said.

“Our appreciation to the GCC management and Office staff for their invaluable help with purchases and bus bookings and the multitude of other tasks needed to, quite literally, keep the wheels turning.

“To the students travelling to the USA: do yourselves, your families, your school, your community and Ireland proud,” they added.

The team will travel to Dallas on May 3.